As a design-build studio, this semester-long prototyping studio involved using both digital and analog tools to design and actually build a sample of a sound absorbing system that will be located in the foundations basement of CAAD at AUS. The final prototype, which was developed at a later stage, was designed and built by a group of 8 students, and is essentially a wall system that can be morphed into a multitude of vertical forms. The developed structure is currently in the basement level of the American University of Sharjah's College of Architecture, Art and Design studio building.

The project recently has gone on to win the AIA Middle East Merit Award 2014 for best student work in the region. In the same year, Emily Baker, the studio instructor, accepted Associate of Collegiate Schools of Architecture's Design Build Award for Best Practices in School-based Design-Build projects - the 2015 ACSA Design Build Award.

UNSOUND’s inherent components work together in a way to both absorb low frequency sounds and act as an aesthetic partition to create smaller working spaces within the existing open space basement. We began by experimenting with modular systems that we could produce in our fabrication labs, working with sheet metal and curved folds. The system went through many evolutions until we reached one that was co-dependent and structurally efficient, with directed views through it.

Acoustically, the system functions based on the concept of an acoustical deck, which is comprised of absorbent material sandwiched between metal sheets that are perforated on one side. Sounds travel through the perforated side, and get trapped and absorbed. The rippling form of the system also helps with acoustical diffusion.


Student work done with Emily Baker.